Fluid-pressure motor.



J. FOURNIA.

rum) mmssum: MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

Patented July 8,1913.

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JOHN FOURNIA, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOIR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK RANDALL GREENE, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

FLUID-PRESSURE MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 19.1.3.

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 709,891.

Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Motors, of which the following a specification, reference being had therein to the ac companying drawings, tormingpart thereof.

My invention relates to fluid pressure motors and particularly to means for throwing or reversing the main valves of such motors.

()ne object of my invention is to provide means for reversing the valves which will be very positive and reliable in their operation and will be durable and subjected to little wear.

Other objects are simplicity and compactness of construction and economy of power.

Still other objects and ai'lvantages of my invention will appear from the following description.

My invention l'ielongs to that class of valve-thrmving devices which are operated by the pressure tluid, and my invention co1uprehends tappet valves operated in timed relation to the movement of the main piston and opened by actuating means carried by the piston rod to admit pressure tluid to the valvethrowing device, pressure tluid be ing normally excluded therefrom.

More specifically each tappct valve controls both an inlet and exhaust port or passagcway and normally holds the inlet closed and the exhaust open, but when actuated by the actuating means, it closes the exhaust and opens the inlet, thereby admitting pressure fluid to operate the valve-throwing device.

My invention also comprehcnds various other features of construction and arrangements and combinations of parts, as will hereinafter more fully appear. i I shall now describe the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and shall. thereafter point out my invention in claims.

In the drawing I have shown a central longitudinal section of a motor embodying my invention. This is a reciprocativc steam motor comprising the main steam cylinder 1, the main piston 2 on the piston rod 3 and reciprocative in the cylinder 1, and the main icontrolling valves operating in the valve chest l on the cylinder head 8. The length of stroke of the piston 53 is regulated by :set screws 5 and (i in the cylinder heads 7 and 8, respectively. Live steam enters the steam chest -l through a live steam pipe 5) and emerges from thence into the opposite ends of the cylinder 1 through the passages 10 or 11 according to the position of the main controlling valves, in the usual way. These fmain controlling valves are reciprmsative and comprise two end piston valves '12 and 113 and a. middle cylindriml puppet valve 18. The end piston valves '12 and '13 cooperate with val vc seats ll and 15, respectively, and control the connection of the two passages 10 and ill. to the respective exhaust ports 16 and 17. The middle cylindrical puppet valve 18 cooperates with two valve seats l9 and 20 and controls the connection between the live steam pipe S) and the passages to and 11. These valves move together and for that |.)urpose are mounted upon a valve rod 21. which bears in screw plugs 22 and 23 in the ends of the valve chest. In the position of these main valves shown in the drawing the live steam from the pipe 9 is entering the cylinder 1 through the passage 11 into the rightend of the cylinde' and the piston 2 is moving toward the left, while the left end of the cylinder is exhausting through the passage 10 and out of the exhaust port in. When the valves are moved over to their opposite position, the passage 10 will be connected with the live steam pipe 9 and the passage 11 will be closed to the live steam pipe by the valve 18 and will be opened to the exhaust port 17. To thus reciprocate the valves, motorcontrolled means are employed which will now be described.

One end of the valve rod 21 extends out of the valve chest l through the plug 23 for some distance and on the end of this valve rod 31 is a valve-operating piston 24, which is reciprocativc in an auxiliary cylinder 25 arranged in alinement with the valve chest 41- on the cylinder head 8. Steam is alternately admitted to and exhausted from the opposite ends oi the cylinder 25 in timed relation with the movement of the main piston 2, and tho valve-ope 'ating piston 24 and the main controlling valves are thereby positively reciprocated. To control the admission and exhaust of steam to and from the opposite ends of the main cylinder 1, motor operated tappet valves are employed, as will now be described.

Cylinder heads 26 and 27 of the auxiliary cylinder 25 are provided with two oppositely disposed valve chambers 28 and 29, respectively, the former contiguous to the cylinder head 8 and the latter opposite thereto These valve chambers 28 and 29 communicate with passageways 30 and 31, respectively, and from these passageways 30 and 31 lead off branch inlet passageways 32 and 33, respectively, and branch exhaust passageways 34 and 35, respectively opening outwardly to the atmosphere. A branch steam pipe 36 leads off from the live steam pipe 9 and enters the valve chamber 28 and another branch steam pipe 37 leads off from the branch pipe 36 and enters the valve chamber 29. Communication between the lower valve chamber 28 and the passageway 30 is normally prevented by a tappet valve comprising a valve head 38 and a piston valve 39 mounted upon a tappet rod 40 extending rearwardly through the passageway 30 and from the auxiliary cylinder 25. This tappet valve is normally held by a spring 41 with the valve head 38 against its seat, thereby closing the passageway 30 and preventing the passage of steam from the valve chamber 28 into the cylinder 25 through the passageways 30 and 32. The piston valve 39 is so disposed on the tappet rod 40 that in the normal position of the tappet valve the piston valve 39 is located in rear of the exhaust passageway 34 and there is, therefore, normally free communication between the inlet passageway 32 and the exhaust passageway 34, and the cylinder 25 is normally vented to the atmosphere and an exhaust opening is thereby normally provided. At the opposite end of the cylinder a similar tappet valve construction is also provided in control of the communication between the valve chamber 29 and the passageways 31, 33 and 35, except that it extends oppositely to that in the cylinder head 26. The valve head 42 is normally held in closed position by the spring 43 and the piston valve 44 is normally disposed in rear of the exhaust passageway 35, while the tappet rod 45, on which the valve rod 42 and piston valve 44 are mounted, extends through the passageway 31 and throughthe cylinder head 8 into the main cylinder. To actuate these tappet valves, tappet-valveactuating means are provided on the reciprocating piston rod 3. In the illustrated construction, the main piston 2 is utilized as one of the valve-actuating members and the tappet rod 45 extends into the path of movement of this main piston 2 in such position that it is engaged and actuated by the piston 2 as the reciprocative piston and piston rod approach one end of their stroke.

The other tappet-valve-actua.ting member comprises a collar 46 secured to the piston rod 30 by a pin and located at the rear of the auxiliary cylinder 25. This valve-actuating collar 46 is so disposed that the tappet rod 40 extends in the path of its movement so as to be actuated thereby as the piston 2 and piston rod 3 approach the end of their stroke opposite that at which the piston rod 45 is actuated.

As previously stated, in the position of the parts shown in the drawing, live steam is entering the right side of the cylinder 1 and the piston 2 is moving toward the left. Just before the piston'reaches this end of its stroke, however, the tappet-valve-actuating collar 46 will strike the end of the tappet rod 40 and force the valve head 38 off its seat and, at the same time, will force the piston valve 39 over so as to close the exhaust passageway 34. Live steam thereupon passes from the valve chamber 28 through the passageway 30 and. the branch inlet passageway 32 into the cylinder 25 behind the valve-operating piston 24, and the piston 24 is thereby forced over to the position opposite that shown in the drawing, and the main controlling valves are thereby reversed. The pistonv2 thereupon starts upon its return stroke and just before it reaches this end of its stroke, the piston 2 strikes the tappet rod 45 and thereby closes the exhaust passageway 35 and opens the inlet passageway 33 to the live steam in the same manner as just described in reference to the complementary tappet valve. Live steam thereupon enters the cylinder 25 in front of the piston 24 and the piston 24 and connected parts are thereby forced over to the position shown in the drawing. This operation is continuously repeated during the operation of the motor. As soon as the tappet-valve-actuating members release their respective tappet valves, the tappet valves are forced back to their normal posit-ions by their springs, as shown in the drawing, in which positions of the tappet valves both ends of the cylinder 25 are open to the atmosphere. Leak vents 47 and 48 are provided behind the piston valves 39 and 44, respectively, to assure atmospheric pressure at all times back of the piston valves.-

It will be noted that my valve-throwing device is extremely simple of construction and operation, and that, while it is actuated:

by the pressure fluid and thereby eliminates all of the disadvantages of mechanically ac' tuated valve-reversing means, pressure fluid is only admitted to the Valvereversing means at such times as the valves are to be reversed, with a resultant v economy in power. It will also be noted that the pressure within the cylinder 25 is normally at' mospherlc pressure, and 1t requlres but a.

momentary opening of the tappet valve to unbalance the valve-reversing mechanism and reverse the valves. This action is sudden and positive, and the arrangement of the parts is such that the device is compact and convenient of application to any reciprocating motor.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawing and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a piston rod and the main valves of a reeiprocative 'tluid pres sure motor, means for reversing the main valves coin n'ising a pressure tluid operated motor member operatively connected to the main valves, an inlet passageway for pressure fluid leading to the motor men'iber, an exhaust passageway tor the motor member, a tappet valve arranged in control of both passageways and normally holding one passageway open and the other passage my closed, and a tappet-valve actuating member :arried by the piston rod and operative to actuate the tappet valve and open the normally closed passageway and close the normally open passageuty as the piston rod approaches the end of its travel.

2. In combination with the piston rod and the main valves of a reciprocative lluid pressure motor, means for reversing the main valves C()1l'l])l'lSlll. a pressure lluid operated motor member operatively connected to the main valves, an inlet passageway for pressure lluid leading to the motor member, an exhaust passageway for the motor member, a tappet valve arranged in control of both passageways and normally holding the inlet passageway open and the exhaust passageway closed, and a tappet-valve actuating member carried by the piston rod and operative to actuate the tappet valve and open the inlet passageway and close the exhaust passageway as the piston rod approaches the end of its travel.

3. In combination with the piston rod and the main valves of a reciprocative fluid pressure motor, means for reversing the main valves comprising a valvemerating piston, a cylinder for the valve-operating piston, an inlet passageway for pressure fluid leading to the cylinder, an exhaust passageway for the cylinder, at tappet valve arranged in control ot both passageways and normally holding the inlet passageway closed and the exhaust passageway open, and a tappet-valve act1iating member carried by the piston rod and adapted to ac tuate the tappet valve as the piston rod approaches the end of its travel to open the inlet 'iassageway and close the exhaust pas sageway.

t. In combination with the main piston oil a reciprooative lluid. pressure motor, a reciprocative main valve mechanism, and means for reversing the main "alve mechanism comprising a valve-operating piston device operatively connected to the main valve mechanism, an inlet passageway for pressure lluid leading to the piston device, an exhaust passageway tor the piston device, a tappet valve arranged in control of the inlet and exhaust passageways, resilient means normally holding the tappet valve in closed position for one passageway and in open position For the other passageway. and a tappet rod on the tappet valve extending into the path ot the main piston and ada 'ited to be actuated thereby and to move the tappet valve against the tension of the resilient means to open the normally closed passageway and to close the normally open passagm a y.

In combination with the main piston ot a rtariprocative lluid pressure motor, a reciprocative main valve mechanism, and means for reversing the main valve mechanism (annprising a valve-operating piston device operatively connected to the main valve mechanism, an inlet pas ageway for pressure lluid leading to the piston device, an exhaust passageway 'l'or the piston device, a tappet valve arranged in control of the inlet and exhaust passageways, resilient means normally holding the tappet valve in closed position for the inlet passageway and in open position for the exhaust passageway, and a tappet rod on the tappet valve extending into the path of the main piston and adapted to be actuated thereby and to move the tappet valve against the tension of the resilientmeans to open the inlet passageway and to close the exhaust passageway.

(3. In combination with the piston rod ot a reciprma-ative tluid pressure motor, a reciprocative main valve mechanism, and means for reciprm-ating the main valve mechanism comprising a valve-operating piston device operatively connected to the main valve mechanism, an inlet and an exhaust passageway for each side of the piston device, two tappet valves, each arranged in control ol the inlet and exhaust. passageway on one side oi. the piston device, resilient means normally holding each tappet valve in closed position for one passageway and in open position for the other pas sageway of the passageways controlled thereby, two tappet valve-actuating members carried by the piston rod, and a tappet rod on each tappet valve, the tappet rod on one tappet valve extending into the path of one tappet valvc-actuating memher and the tappet rod on the other tappet valve extending into the path of the other tappet valve-actuating member, each tappet. rod being adapted to be actuated by its respcctive tappet valveactuating member against the tension of the resilient means as the piston rod approaches one end of its stroke and to open the normally closed pas sageway and to close the normally open passageway of the passageways controlled by its respective tappet valve.

7. In combination with the piston rod of a reciprocative fluid pressure motor, a reciprocative main valve mechanism, and means for reciprocating the main valve mechanism comprising a valve-operating piston device operatively connected to the main valve mechanism, an inlet and an exhaust passageway for each side of the piston device, two tappet valves, one arranged in control of the inlet and exhaust passageway on each side of the piston device, resilient means normally holding each tappet valve in closed position for the inlet passageway and in open posit-ion for the exhaust passageway of the passageways controlled thereby, two tappet valve-actuating mem bers carried by the piston rod, and a tappet rod on each tappet valve, the tappet rod on one tappet valve extending into the path of one tappet valve-actuating memberand the tappet rod on the other tappet valve extending into the path ofthe other tappet valve-actuating member, each tappet rod being adapted to be actuated by its respective tappet valve-actuating member against the tension of the resilient means as the piston rod approaches one end of its stroke and to open the inlet passageway and to close the exhaust passageway of the passageways controlled by its respective tappet valve.

8. In combination with the main cylinder, piston and piston rod of a reeiprocative fluid pressure motor, reciprocat-ive main valves, a valve rod therefor, and means for reciprocating the main valves comprising a valve-operating piston mounted on the valve rod, an auxiliary cylinder for the valveoperating piston, an inlet passageway and an exhaust passageway for pressure fluid for each end of the cylinder, two tappet valves, each arranged in control of the in let and exhaustpassageways for one end of the cylinder, resilient means normally holding each tappet valve in closed position for the inlet passageway and in open position for the exhaust passageway of the passageways controlled thereby, a tappet valve-actuating member carried by the pis ton rod, and a tappet rod on each tappet valve, the tappet rod on one tappet valve extending into the path of the main piston and the tappet rod on the other tappet valve extending into the path of the tappet-valveact-uating member, the one tappet rod being adapted to be actuated by the main piston against the tension of the resilient means as the piston rod approaches one end of its stroke and to open the inlet passageway and close the exhaust passageway at its end of the cylinder, and the other tappet rod being adapted to be actuated by the tappet valveactuating member against the tension of its resilient means as the piston rod approaches the other end of its stroke and to open the inlet passageway and close the exhaust passageway at its end of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature .in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FOURNIA. VVit-nesses T. EDWARD lVALsn, JosEPI-I G. WALSH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). G. 

